A significant step has been taken to facilitate export of Queensland grown varieties of Taiwanese lychees to Asian markets.

Member for Keppel, Brittany Lauga said, “Planting of six new purpose grown Taiwanese varieties of the fruit at Groves Grown Tropical Fruit Farm, Yeppoon represents both a significant physical and symbolic milestone in the horticulture research relationship between Queensland and Taiwan.

“The Queensland Government is keen to develop this export opportunity and I thank Taiwan and their Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Dr JJ Chen for making the new varieties available to Queensland farmers for testing.

“These new Taiwanese varieties of lychees are an exciting development that hopefully results in opening the door for Queensland producers to increased export market share as well as supplying the Australian domestic market.

“For example, one of the varieties, 'Rose Red', is a large lychee with a slightly rose fragrance, has a better shelf life and is easier to peel giving it great appeal as an export variety.”

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said exporting lychees, widely known as the king of fruits, to Asia was a long-term program of work.

“In 2016, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Taiwan Council of Agriculture (CoA) to introduce six new varieties of lychees from Taiwan into Queensland,” Mr Furner said.

“It is expected the trees will take approximately three years to grow before DAF can begin to evaluate which varieties are best to grow and are commercially viable and then take eight to ten years before significant volumes can be grown in Queensland.

“If the lychees do well in Queensland conditions, Australian growers and Taiwan could then consider a joint project to export to other Asian countries.

“In 2018-19, Queensland’s agri-food exports to Taiwan totalled over $252 million making Taiwan Queensland’s ninth largest agri-food export market,” Mr Furner said.

“Queensland already exports beef, seafood, wood products, nuts, beans, grain sorghum, soybeans and mandarins to Taiwan and adding lychees to that portfolio is an exciting prospect.”